Atrial natriuretic factor receptors are negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase in cultured atrial and ventricular cardiocytes.

We have studied the effect of synthetic rat atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) on adenylate cyclase activity in cultured cardiocytes from atria (left and right) and ventricles from neonatal rats. ANF (Arg 101-Tyr 126) inhibited adenylate cyclase activity in a concentration dependent manner in cultured atrial (right and left atria) and ventricular cells. However the inhibition was greater in atrial cells as compared to ventricular cells. The maximal inhibition observed in ventricular cells was about 35% with an apparent Ki of about 10(-10) M, whereas about 55% inhibition with an apparent Ki between 5 X 10(-10) M and 65% inhibition with an apparent Ki of 10(-9) M were observed in right and left atrial cardiocytes respectively. The inhibitory effect of ANF was dependent on the presence of guanine nucleotides. Various hormones and agents such as isoproterenol, prostaglandins, adenosine, forskolin and sodium fluoride stimulated adenylate cyclase activities to various degrees in these atrial and ventricular cardiocytes. ANF inhibited the stimulatory responses of all these agonists, however the degree of inhibition varied for each agent. In addition ANF also inhibited cAMP levels in these cells. These data indicate that ANF receptors are present in cardiocytes and are negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase.